Code of Silence

Ben Reese #6

by Sally Wright

A female linguist at a high-security US decoding and decrypting facility is murdered while trying to relay vital information. Ten years later, Ben Reese is asked for his assistance in tracking a murderer guilty of breaching US security. Bens efforts to find the killer are difficult but he knows it is essential once he learns of the Venona Code, a Soviet code partially decrypted by the US and Britain . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Sally Sluhan Wright was born in Hartford, Connecticut on January 31, 1947 to Clyde A. and Marian (Elliott) Sluhan. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1969 with a degree in Oral Interpretation of English Literature.

She authored the Ben Reese and Jo Grant series. Her first book and the first installment in the Ben Reese series, Publish & Perish, came out in 1997.

In 2001, she was nominated (finalist) for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Pursuit & Persuasion, the third Ben Reese book.

She died on June 15, 2018 at her home in Bowling Green. She was 71.

Reviews

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my 3rd read of this book. I love the integrity and complexity of Ben Reese, the main character.

CODE OF SILENCE ~ 4.5 Stars
(1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, it was Ok; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= A favorite, it was great!) This is my 3rd time reading this series; it’s a favorite.

CODE OF SILENCE by Sally Wright is a historical character driven mystery novel (June 1957) with flashbacks to events post WWII, 10 years prior. The MC/Ben Reese, 34, is a man dealing with a sudden, terrible loss which has him hanging onto normalcy by his fingernails. Ben is distracted from his grief with the help of a friend who suggests he investigate the matter of a missing joint acquaintance. Ben is an intelligent observant, patient, reserved man, a former WWII army scout and University of Ohio archivist. He has no idea that his casual digging will unleash the events that follow, leading back to dangerous secrets of espionage (code & book breaking/cryptography, & duplicity) buried at the end of the war.

I believe CODE OF SILENCE, #6 was the last book published in Sally Wright’s Ben Reese Mystery series, as a Prequel. It provides deeper character background which the earlier books don’t provide. I prefer reading it first but readers who would rather jump into a bit more action first, may prefer to read CODE OF SILENCE last. Ben’s grief is interwoven into CODE OF SILENCE and this tends to be a more thought provoking story than the others. This was a 3x reread for me. CODE OF SILENCE could be read as a standalone but I absolutely love the Ben Reese series (he is a reserve, thoughtful, intelligent and very capable hero). I Highly Recommend this series to readers of Historical Mysteries (particularly WWII period), character driven novels, readers who enjoy intelligent mysteries, and readers of various genres (as am I). Note that CODE OF SILENCE is not an action-packed type adventure (which I also enjoy on occasion).

Other Comments -
1) WATCHES also provides a sampling of the type of projects and consignments an esteemed archivist who is also an artifact expert, restorer might accept. I found this interesting.
2) Another interesting fact is that Ms Wright created the Ben Reese character after a real person who actually served as an Army Scout Ranger during WWII and was present in the battles mentioned in this series. As civilians, the debt we owe these men and women is immeasurable. (Author notes in closing comments).

READER CAUTIONS -
PROFANITY - none.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - none.
VIOLENCE - CODE OF SILENCE is a historical mystery/thriller, so people die (off scene); deaths are not described in a graphic or dark manner. IMO, this series is suitable for readers 17+, those who enjoys history, mysteries, and thrillers.

*POSSIBLE TRIGGER (and “SPOILER”) - prior to the ending, the antagonist does threaten and physical harm women but the threat is more emotionally and psychologically damaging in nature than physical. The women are rescued before more harm is done.

[Liz V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl Walker has a mission--to bring to account a traitor who Walker believes murdered the woman Walker loved. Walker realizes, however, the danger and sends Ben Reese and Richard West packages with encoded information Walker accumulated. Walker's apparent suicide embroils Reese and West in espionage dating to 1947, and the breaking of the Venona Codes, which revealed some 300 traitors.

Though the sixth book in the series, Code of Silence is a prequel and, with the death of the author, the end of the Reese series.

[Carl Brookins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this prequel to the Ben Reese series to be an odd book for the genre in a couple of ways. First, the author’s style. It’s pretty far from being similar to Agatha Christie. I like the style. It grew on me. What’s more, it changed in subtle ways from beginning to the end. At first, the rhythms are abrupt, blunt-edged. There are few compound sentences and any number of sentence fragments. Second, while the author is celebrated as a top mystery author, and has several fine mysteries to her credit, this novel has little mystery, being more of a taut suspense-laden thriller. The tension rises and becomes more intense as the novel progresses until we arrive at an excruciating and satisfying climax.

This is the 6th Ben Reese mystery, and is set in a time frame before the others in the series. It is a historical novel with roots in the relationships between the US and European nations, principally the Soviet Union during and after WWII. The novel begins with a murder that occurs in 1947 in Washington, D.C. As an aside, it feels a bit odd to this reviewer to refer to a book as historical that deals with an important part of this reviewer’s life.

A decade later a second murder occurs near a small university town in Ohio. Several troubling events with no initial connection to the murder have happened to an Alderson University academic. Ben Reese, who trained as an Army Ranger and then served in WWII as a scout behind enemy lines in Europe has joined the staff of the university. He served with various units, including Canadian soldiers at the invasion of Fortress Europe. Now, this talented archivist and ex-military scout, Ben Reese, steps out of the shadows of his wartime career to locate and stop a man who seeks to eliminate all evidence of his previous espionage against the United States by murdering those who know the truth.

The novel is distinguished by the author’s meticulous and extensive research which buttresses the authenticity of conversations between various characters. As always one of the hallmarks of Wright’s writing is her development and presentation of the contextual basis for the actions that take place in her novels. If this novel is flawed it may be, for some readers, the sometimes rambling if thoughtful dissertations on the ever-shifting geo-political realities and the secrecy that surrounded events and decisions that were made at the highest levels of governments.

The novel bears the stamp of a careful writer who doesn’t shy away from descriptions of more brutal aspects of war and their aftermath. For fans of Ben Reese this novel reveals much about the experiences which shaped the character’s attitudes. And, as with other novels in the series, readers will be left with deep appreciation for marvelous character descriptions as well.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Code of Silence is the sixth book in Wright's Ben Reese mystery series. However, the book is a prequel to the entire series. The book opens in 1947 when a woman linguist at Arlington Hall is murdered while she is trying to pass along incrimination information to fellow book breaker. The book then takes you ten years in the future where you are introduced to Ben Reese, who is grieving the recent loss of his wife. Carl Walker (the book breaker friend of the murdered woman and Ben's acquaintance) sends Ben a surprising letter asking for his help in tracking down the murder of the woman linguist who is also guilty of breaching US security. With the help of his friend Richard West, Ben sets off the solve the mystery.
If you have not read any Ben Reese mysteries this would be a great place to start! The suspense is great and the story is based on true facts. It is nice to get academic stimulation from a page turning mystery. The character development is amazing, it is very hard not to fall in love with Ben and his story. The relationship between Richard and Ben is also very amusing. I laughed, cried and bit my nails all the way to the end of the book! I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the earlier books in the series.

[ladydusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Own on Kindle.

I would probably give this one 3.5 stars; I thought it was the weakest of the books.

I still enjoyed it. It was less a mystery and more suspense. There was one particularly difficult scene.

I had a much harder time discerning the theme to this book than to others despite the title. Code of Silence, as I think about it, was considering ideas of when it is right and wrong to speak; what information needs shared and what doesn't; speaking for the oppressed or not.

I think some plot points were lost - what happened to the turquoise car? or the concussion? The story just didn't seem to be as tight as the earlier books - enough to make me question whether this *was* an earlier work that was published out of order - the story takes place some time before Publish and Perish.

I enjoyed it because I like Wright's writing style and Ben Reese as a character. I wouldn't recommend starting with this book.

I'm sorry to come to the end of the books; I hope Wright is working on more! I'd like to find out what happens to Dr. Reese and the building at Alderton and other plot lines ...

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#6 in the Ben Reese series. This final entry in the series takes place in 1957, 4 years earlier than the preceding entries and serves as a sequel. We learn how Ben looses his wife and gets a horse. His colleague who was killed in entry #1, here helps him grieve for his wife and helps him solve the mystery. I'm surprised that the series ended here. The first 5 entries had him at a romantic crossroads/roadblock but there should have been a few entries that could have taken place between 1957 and 1961.

Ben Reese series - A female linguist at a high-security US decoding and decrypting facility is murdered while trying to relay vital information. Ten years later, Ben Reese is asked for his assistance in tracking a murderer guilty of breaching US security. Bens efforts to find the killer are difficult but he knows it is essential once he learns of the Venona Code, a Soviet code partially decrypted by the US and Britain

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this series of books and find the character of Ben Reese very likable. The only reason for the 3 star instead of 4 or 5 is that towards the end of the story I found the torture of the young woman too graphic due to my work with trauma victims. I have heard too many true stories to want to read about it for entertainment. Otherwise, this story like others in the series is well written and keeps me wanting to read to the end.

[Al · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not that great.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but very awkwardly written.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't really -like- it, too much torture (any onscreen torture too much for me,) but quite well written. Not sure I can stand the rest of the series.